THE REAL REASON YOU’RE SCARED OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH
Let’s be honest—most people who get mad about Black History Month aren’t mad about history. They’re uncomfortable with what that history exposes. It reminds us that the story we were told growing up was incomplete, polished, and way more flattering than reality. Nobody likes finding out the house they live in was built crooked, especially if they’ve been calling it sturdy their whole lives. So instead of sitting with that discomfort, it’s easier to roll your eyes, complain about “special months,” and pretend nothing important is being said.
Another reason it rattles people is because it messes with the myth that everything worked itself out naturally. Black History Month forces the truth into the open: progress didn’t just happen; it was fought for, bled for, prayed for. Laws had to change because hearts didn’t change fast enough. That’s unsettling, especially if you’ve benefited from the system without ever asking who paid the price. History like that doesn’t accuse you personally—but it does ask you to be honest.
Some folks are also afraid because acknowledgment feels like surrender. They think if they admit injustice existed—and still does—they’re somehow confessing guilt. That’s not how maturity works. Grown people can say, “This was wrong,” without collapsing into shame or defensiveness. Refusing to acknowledge the past doesn’t make you innocent; it just makes you uninformed and brittle. Truth doesn’t weaken a nation or a church—it strengthens it.
And here’s the quiet part out loud: if you follow Jesus, this shouldn’t scare you at all. The Gospel is built on truth-telling, repentance, reconciliation, and love of neighbor. You can’t preach Christ and flinch when history asks you to listen. Black History Month isn’t about excluding anyone—it’s about telling the fuller story of our brothers and sisters, a story that was ignored for far too long. If that bothers you, the question isn’t “Why do they need a month?” It’s “Why does this make me so uncomfortable?”
BDD
